Motor-driven curtain mechanism



Jan. 10, 1967 SEIZO MlKI MOTOR-DRIVEN CURTAIN MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 31, 1964 mm N M/ m M m0 A M 5 SEIZO MIKI MOTORDRIVEN CURTAIN MECHANISM Jan. 10, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS Filed March 31, 1964 INVENTOR. 55/20 M/K/ r roRm-ys.

Jan. 10, 1967 I SEIZO MlKl 3,297,078

MOTOR-DRIVEN CURTAIN MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1964 4 Sheets-Shet 5 INF if 0 r6 Z3 I W INVENTOR. SE/ZO M/K/ ATTORNEKF.

Jan. 10, 1967 SEIZO MlKl MOTOR-DRIVEN CURTAIN MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 31, 1964 INVENTOIL 55/20 l/rl A 7' 7' ORMEYE United States Patent 3,297,078 MOTOR-DRIVEN CURTAIN MECHANISM Seizo Milli, Snmiyoshi-lru, Osaira-shi, Japan, assignor to Sansei Kinzoku Kogyo Kahushiki Keisha, (isalra-shi,

This invention relates to a motor-driven curtain mechanism, in which the energizing motor is connected directly to the drive pulley in a disengageable manner.

In the conventional curtain rail having a pair of pulleys, drivingly interconnected by means of an endless cord and housed in the pulley casing with the pulleys being secured to either end of the curtain rail, the energizing motor :is associated by means of an endless belt with one of the pulleys to drive the endless cord.

Said mechanism, however, is not necessarily satisfactory for the energizing motor is usually installed separately from the curtain rail, for instance, on the floor, so that the installment of the motor requires an additional space. The energizing motor is also associated, as stated before, with the drive pulley by means or" an endless belt. The efficiency of the motor cannot accordingly be fully utilized.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a mechanism for directly coupling the energizing drive motor with the pulley, which mechanism can be installed on the spot in an easy and a simple manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism for fixing and replacing the energizing motor to and from the curtain rail without any technical difiiculties.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a curtain rail embodying the aforesaid principles in a manner requiring a minimum installation space and utilizing, to the fullest extent, the eificiency of the energizing motor.

Other objects and specific features of the present invention will become apparent in wiew of the following:

According to the principles of the present invention, there is provided a curtain rail carrying two pulleys interconnected by an endless drive transmission member, such as an endless cord. Each pulley is supported in a respective support member movably housed in a casing, the two casings being secured to respective opposite ends of the curtain rail. One of the pulleys is a drive pulley and the other pulley is a driven pulley. The drive pulley has a passage extending axially therethrough and which has a polygonal cross section. A drive motor is provided with a drive shaft having a corresponding polygonal cross section, whereby the drive shaft can be firmly engaged in the drive pulley passage. The end of the motor housing from which the drive shaft projects is provided with two pairs of oppositely directly offset lips which are cooperable with two pairs of inwardly directed lips on the bottom wall of the casing housing the support member for the drive pulley. By such interengagement, the motor can be firmly connected with the curtain rail and its efiiciency can be utilized to the fullest extent.

In addition, the drive pulley support member is provided wit-h a pair of laterally projecting fingers or tabs which are engaged in corresponding longitudinally extending slots in the associated casing, whereby the support member housing the drive pulley is displaceable to a limited extent along the curtain rail. On the other end of the curtain rail, there is an adjusting screw rotatably mounted therein to extend therealong, and threadedly engaged with a nut member or threaded sleeve on the support member for the driven pulley. 'Ihis threaded shaft or screw has an operating head exteriorly of the associated end of the curtain rail. By turning the screw, the sufficient play is provided for the drive pulley to be moved outwardly toward its end of the curtain rail for the coupling of the motor to the. drive pulley, or the drive pulley may be moved inwardly into a position in which the drive motor is coupled with the curtain rail by means of the interfitting lips mentioned above. This provides for installation or removal of the drive motor relative to the curtain rail, including engagement or disengagement of the drive shaft of the motor relative to the associated passage in the drive pulley.

For a fuller understanding of the cut invention, reference is made ings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a preferred en1bodiment of the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of Part A of FIGURE 1 with the energizing motor shown in side elevation;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along the line I-I of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged oblique view from the bottom side of Part A of FIGURE 1 with the energized motor removed;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged oblique view of the energizing motor employed in the embodiment of FIGURE principles of the presto the appended draw- FIGURE 7 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of Part B of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE '8 is a sectional view along the line IIII of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged partial oblique view, partially in section of Part C, of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged sectional view along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the principles of the invention, comprising a curtain rail 1 having along the bottom side a longitudinal groove 2 formed by the upturned flanges 3 having outturned rims 3a. Curtains 4- and 4a are suspended from ctu'tain rail 11 by means of suspenders 5 which are positioned at suitable intervals and adapted to move longitudinally through groove 2 in association with runners 6 adapted to move upon the rims 3a. Pulleys 7 and 7a are movably secured to either end of curtain rail 1 in a manner as will be described hereinafter, and an endless cord 8 is stretched in operating position by means of said pulleys 7 and 7a. A reversible drive motor 9 is associated with drive pulley 7 in a manner as will be described later. All these parts are associated in such a manner that the curtains and 4a are brought to closed or open position by means of the rotative movement of the reversible motor 9, the rotative movement being applied to the endless cord 8 via drive pulley '7.

In the aforesaid embodiment, each of the pulleys 7 and 7a is movably supported in a respective pulley support member 10 and Ida, each of which support members 10 and Illa is movably housed in a pulley support member casing 11 and Ma, the casing 11 and Ila being secured to either end of the curtain rail 1.

More particularly, drive pulley 7 is fixed to rotate with a shaft or axle 12 by known means, such as a key 13 as shown in FIG. 4. Axle i2 is rotatably mounted in support member It by means of collar 14, spaced bearings 15 and an enlarged head 16 overlying the upper bearing 15. Support member 10 is displaceably enclosed in casing lit in a manner described more fully hereinafter, the casing 11 being secured to the drive or righthand side of the curtain rail. Driven pulley 7a is rotatably mounted in support member 10a by means of ball bearings 17, as shown in FIG. 8. Support member ltla is also movabiy enclosed, in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter, in casing ltla which is secured to the left end of curtain rail 1, in the illustrated embodiment.

According to the principles of the present invention, there is further provided-a polygonally shaped axial passage, namely a square-shaped passage 18, in the instant embodiment, extending longitudinally through axle l2 and adapted to engage the correspondingly shaped top end portion of the shaft of the energizing motor 9. There are also provided two pairs of inturned opposed lips 19 which are formed on the bottom surface of casing l1 and adapted to engage the correspondingly shaped outturned opposed offset lips on an end surface of motor 9, these lips forming a clutch mechanism cooperable with the aforesaid engagement mechanism, as will be described later.

Each of the side walls of support member 10 has a projection, such as a finger or tab 29, extending there from into an elongated slot 21 extending longitudinally of the adjacent side wall of casing llll, as shown in FIG. 5. By cooperation of the parts 2th and 21, support member 10 can be shifted longitudinally of curtain rail l to correspondingly adjust the position of drive pulley 7 within the limits of adjustment provided by the length of slots 21.

On the other end of the curtain rail, there is provided a screw mechanism consisting of a threaded rod or screw 22 rotatably supported, While being fixed against axial displacement, in casing Illa, rod 22 having a knob 23 on its outer end exteriorly of the end of rail 1. An internally threaded sleeve or nut 24 extends longitudinally of the upper surface of support member ltla and is threadedly engaged with rod 22. This arrangement is particularly shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. By rotating rod 22, support member 10a can be shifted longitudinally of curtain rail l to correspondingly shift driven pulley 7a to facilitate the operation of the aforementioned clutch mechanism.

In association with curtains 4 and 4a, there are employed two curtain leaders 25 and 25a, of which the curtain leader 25 is associated with the endless cord 8 by means of a curtain leader support member 26 having one end screwed to the curtain leader 25 and the other end, protruding through the groove 2, so molded as to form an outturned fork-shaped or M-shaped coupler 27, coupled with the frontward run 8a of the endless cord 8 by means of the shanks of said fork-shaped member 27 as shown in FIG. 9. Similarly, the curtain leader 25a is coupled with the rearward run 8b of the endless cor-d 8 by means of the curtain leader support member 26a having a fork-shaped coupler 27a. Each of said curtain leaders 25 and 25a is further supported in operating position by means of curtain leader runners 28, each adapted to move freely upon the rims 3a of the curtain rail 1 in an equidistant relationship with the respective "leader support members 26 and 26a. The inner end portion of each curtain leader 25 and 25a, furthermore, is bent longitudinally in alternate direction so as to bring the curtain leaders 25 and 25a into overlapping engagement at the central portion of the curtain rail 1 when operated to close the curtains 4 and 4a. The curtain 4 is suspended from the curtain rail 1 by securing the inner end portion of curtain 4 to the curtain leader 25 by means of inner end suspenders 29, and by securing the outer end por tion of curtain 4 to the drive pulley support member casing 11 by means of an outer end suspender 30, as shown in FIGURE 1. Similarly, the curtain 4a is secured to the curtain leader 25a by means of inner end suspenders 29a and to the driven pulley support member casing Me by means of an outer end suspender 30a. The remaining portions of the curtains 4 and 4a are supt ported at suitable intervals by the runners 6 via suspenders 5, as stated before.

In the illustrated embodiment, there is employed the motor 9 which is reversible and which is provided with a shaft 31 having a polygonally shaped top end portion, namely a square-shaped portion 31a in the illustrated embodiment, protruding through the top end wall of the motor 9 as shown in FIGURE 6, and adapted to be tightly engaged in the correspondingly shaped axial passage 18 in axle 12 for the drive pulley. Motor 9 is further provided on the top end wall with two pairs of outturned offset fingers 32 adapted to be tightly engaged with the correspondingly shaped inturned fingers 19 on casing 11 when motor 9 which is coupled with the drive pulley 7 in the manner as stated before is pushed inward, namely leftward in the instant embodiment, as far as the slots 21, in association with the projections 20, permit.

In operating the instant embodiment, the screw rod 22 is turned by means of knob 23 to shift the drive pulley support member Ida inward, namely rightward in the instant embodiment, whereby the driven pulley 7a is freed from the restraint of the endless cord 8. Then support member 10 is manually shifted outward, namely rightward in the present embodiment, as far as the slots 21, in association with the projections 20, permit to position pulley '7 to be coupled to motor 9. When motor 9 is coupled with the drive pulley 7 by inserting the polygonally shaped top end portion 31a of its shaft 31 into the correspondingly shaped passage 18 of axle 12, motor 9 is shifted by pushing inward, namely leftward in the instant embodiment, in association with support member 10 until the outturned fingers 32 on the end of motor 9 are tightly engaged with the correspondingly shaped inturned fingers 19 on casing 11. When motor 9 is thus tightly coupled with pulley 7 and casing 11, the threaded rod 22 is rotated by means of the knob 23 to shift support member 10a, and thus pulley 7a, outward, namely leftward in the instant embodiment, until the endless cord 8 is brought to the operating stretched position between the two pulleys 7 and 7a. To close the curtains 4 and 4a, motor 9 is energized in one direction until the curtains 4 and 4a are brought to overlapping position at the cen tral portion of the curtain rail 1 by means of the curtain leaders 25 and 25a. To open the closed curtains, the motor 9 is energized in the opposite direction until the curtains 4 and 4a are drawn to the respective ends of the curtain rail I by means of the curtain leaders 25 and 25a. To replace or remove the motor 9, the screw rod 22 is rotated by knob 23 to adjust support member 10a so as to free pulley 7a, whereby the endless cord 8 is released of tension to release support member 10 so as to release pulley 7. Then motor 9 is shifted by pulling outward, namely rightward in the instant embodiment, to disengage the fingers 19 and 32, and the motor 9 is removed from pulley 7 by pulling downward to withdraw sha'ft portion 31a from passage 18 through axle 12.

In view of the foregoing, it will become apparent that the principles of the present invention can be put into practice and operation in quite an easy and a simple manner. It is also apparent to those who are skilled in the art that there can be made, without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention, various changes and modifications in the present embodiment which is illustrative only. It is accordingly intended not to limit the invention except by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A curtain rail assembly for motor-driven curtains comprising, in combination, a curtain rail; a pair of pulleys each mounted adjacent a respective end of said rail and each adjustable longitudinally of said rail; an endless drive transmission member trained around and drivingly interconnecting said pulleys; a driving motor disengageably directly coupled to one of said pulleys constituting a drive pulley, the other pulley constituting a driven pulley; said drive pulley having a passage extending axially therethrough, the passage having a polygonal cross section; said driving motor having a driving shaft extending from an end thereof, said driving shaft having a polygonal cross section over at least its outer end portion and mating with said axial passage, whereby said driving motor may be coupled to said drive pulley by inserting said drive shaft into said axial passage; a casing mounted on said rail, and housing and rotatably supporting said drive pulley, said casing having a bottom wall; oppositely directed inturned fingers on said bottom wall; and oppositely directed outturned offset fingers on the drive end of said motor; the fingers on said motor being interengageable With the fingers on the bottom wall of said casing to couple said motor tightly to said casing.

2. A curtain rail assembly for motor driven curtains, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said axial passage and said drive shaft have square cross sections.

3. A curtain rail assembly for motor driven curtains, as claimed in claim 1, including externally accessible adjusting means on said curtain rail operable to adjust said pulleys longitudinally of said curtain rail; said drive pulley being mounted in a support member Within said casing; said casing being formed With longitudinally extending slots in its opposite side Walls, and said support member being formed with fingers projecting into said slots, said fingers in said slots comprising the means for adjusting the position of the drive pulley longitudinally of said curtain rail; said adjusting means further including an externally threaded relatively elon gated member rotatably mounted in said curtain rail adjacent the driven pulley and fixed against displacement longitudinally of said curtain rail; a second support member mounting said driven pulley and mounted Within said curtain rail for adjustment longitudinally thereof; and non-rotatable nut means on said second support member threadedly engaged with said externally threaded member whereby said driven pulley and its support member may be adjusted longitudinally of said curtain rail by rotation of said externally threaded member, said driven pulley, through said endless drive transmission means, adjusting the drive pulley and its support member longitudinally of said curtain rail Within the limits permitted by the lengths of said slots relative to said fingers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 714,980 12/1902 Wegner 160-345 3,091,286 5/1963 Madsen 160-331 3,119,443 1/ 1964 Stubblefield CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner.

P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CURTAIN RAIL ASSEMBLY FOR MOTOR-DRIVEN CURTAINS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CURTAIN RAIL; A PAIR OF PULLEYS EACH MOUNTED ADJACENT A RESPECTIVE END OF SAID RAIL AND EACH ADJUSTABLE LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID RAIL; AN ENDLESS DRIVE TRANSMISSION MEMBER TRAINED AROUND AND DRIVINGLY INTERCONNECTING SAID PULLEYS; A DRIVING MOTOR DISENGAGEABLY DIRECTLY COUPLED TO ONE OF SAID PULLEYS CONSTITUTING A DRIVE PULLEY, THE OTHER PULLEY CONSTITUTING A DRIVEN PULLEY; SAID DRIVE PULLEY HAVING A PASSAGE EXTENDING AXIALLY THERETHROUGH, THE PASSAGE HAVING A POLYGONAL CROSS SECTION; SAID DRIVING MOTOR HAVING A DRIVING SHAFT EXTENDING FROM AN END THEREOF, SAID DRIVING SHAFT HAVING A POLYGONAL CROSS SECTION OVER AT LEAST ITS OUTER END PORTION AND MATING WITH SAID AXIAL PASSAGE, WHEREBY SAID DRIVING MOTOR MAY BE COUPLED TO SAID DRIVE PULLEY BY INSERTING SAID DRIVE SHAFT INTO SAID AXIAL PASSAGE; A CASING MOUNTED ON SAID RAIL, AND HOUSING AND ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID DRIVE PULLEY, SAID CASING HAVING A BOTTOM WALL; OPPOSITELY DIRECTED INTURNED FINGERS ON SAID BOTTOM WALL; AND OPPOSITELY DIRECTED OUTTURNED OFFSET FINGERS ON THE DRIVE END OF SAID MOTOR; THE FINGERS ON SAID MOTOR BEING INTERENGAGEABLE WITH THE FINGERS ON THE BOTTOM WALL OF SAID CASING TO COUPLE SAID MOTOR TIGHTLY TO SAID CASING. 